The post you are reporting:
I have every understanding and sympathy for what some have had to go through and I mean some as they have not all had the sort of atrocities you describe.
It is all about trust, respect and the will to mix, but that has to come from both them and us. I do think they have to get to grips with speaking English and the use of it as a norm, as that way people in the community will get to communicate and then the trust, respect part will follow. There just appears to be this lack of willingness on their part to learn the language and to use it.
As to fighting for their Countries freedom of course in the main I am on about those from Iraq and Afghanistan where our troops are. I would have thought that if some had gone through what you say, then they would want to get some revenge on those that carried out such atrocities.
Did not the people of Poland and other Countries go through some atrocities at the hands of the Nazi's, yet a good number got over here and joined sections of the armed forces to fight for their homeland. Yes and a good number stayed after the war, I know it's a different thing but the principle is not that different.
Any way the main topic of the thread is about integration and not should they fight or not (my fault), I truly believe they have to show a willingness to be part of the community and want to join in. We can hold out the hand of friendship but will they want to accept it or indeed will they understand what we are trying to achieve.
ColetteB did just that by the sounds of it, she must have shown a willingness to be part of the community and now is a respected member of it.
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By the way Colette, nothing to do with this thread but when I came home on leave from N. Ireland after an 18 month posting there, I remember going to a pup in Dover and being turned away because I was a soldier on leave, never been to that Pub again and never will.